Tangled Webs
by sukura123
Summary: What if Mother Gothel never died? Rapunzel and Eugene are trapped in the tower, but soon break free. Once they return to the kingdom, they find that the king and queen have been overthrown by an overlord who wants to marry Rapunzel. (AU)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Not So Happy Ending**

Rapunzel was trapped in Gothel's chains as she saw Eugene coming through the large tower window. Since she had a bandana over her mouth she couldn't warn him about her crazy mother.

She tried to make sounds with her tight lips closed and thankfully, it caught his attention. It was all in vain as Gothel appeared behind him and stabbed in with her sharp yet pointy dagger. He fell to the ground as she scrambled to get over to him.

Gothel undid the bandana as Rapunzel cried, "Please, let me save him and then I'll go with you and we can be together forever just like you want. Just let me save him please!" She pleaded. Gothel put a long chain on one of his wrists in case he got any ideas about following them.

Next she undid Rapunzel's chains and she scurried over to him. "Eugene!" She cried out of pure concern. She moved a trembling hand to look at his wound and seen the blood stained shirt on the inside.

"I'm so sorry." She said as she ran a hand through her hair and an idea popped up. "Here, everything is gonna be okay!" She says trying to hand part of her long blonde hair to him, but he continues to call her name.

"Rapunzel…I can't let you do this.." Eugene chokes out. You can hear the pain in his voice as he is trying to maintain his breathing.

"But I can't let you die." She replies.

"But if you do this—"Rapunzel cuts him off by gently "Shhhing" him. But he goes on to say, "Then you will die."

"Hey." Rapunzel gives sends him a look of contempt. "It's gonna be alright, I promise." A tight lipped smile sets on Eugene's face as he reaches up to stroke her cheek gently.

"Rapunzel, please." He pleads asking her once more not to do it. He reaches up farther and brings his body up as much as he can and cuts a large part of her hair off after her shoulders. His hand falls to the ground as he drops the jagged glass piece he used.

Rapunzel grabs her hair in shock and says, "Eugene, wha—"

"No!" Gothel yells as she watches all of Rapunzel's hair turn dark brown. She tries to pick up what is left of the blonde hair even though it also turns brown. "What've you done?" She yells grabbing her wrist as she begins to turn back into her true way older self.

Running to the mirror that has a ton of cracks in it, she is horrified to see her raisin wrinkled skin as well as her white puffy hair. She puts her cloak hood over her head in shame as she wishes she could turn back time.

She trips over something and falls to the floor of the bedroom while she rocks back and forth in disbelief. While Rapunzel looks on in shock, she quickly remembers about Eugene as she reaches out to pull him toward her.

"Nonononono, Eugene. Eugene."

He coughs letting her know that he is still hanging on to life, but his eyes remain closed. "Eugene, look at me." She says as she grasps his hand and places it on her head and starts to sing the healing song, but nothing happens.

"Rapunzel. You were my dream." He said. He couldn't feel his body anymore, it felt numb and cold.

Rapunzel's expression turns even sadder as tears began to form in her eyes, but she says, "And you were mine."

Eugene is now dead.

Rapunzel has just processed what happened, as she struggle's not to cry. She didn't notice a single tear drop fell onto Eugene as she placed his head gently on the ground and went toward her mother.

Gothel had stopped rolling and began to wonder why she wasn't dead as well. She was skin and bones, yet still living.

"Mother…no Gothel. Why did you hurt him? It wasn't necessary to keep me bound to this prison. If you didn't fatally wound him, he would still be here." Rapunzel's voice trembled, Her green eyes wide with sadness and hurt. She was grief stricken. She had lost Eugene.

"I had to do what I had to do dear." Was her non caring response. "Now come help me up." She stuck out her hand for assistance but Rapunzel didn't take it. She was on her knees crying her heart out. Suddenly, Gothel's expression changed to guilt.

Her eyes held a hint of sadness for only a moment before she scooted over to her "daughter". "Rapunzel, I—" The guilt was immediately replaced by a curious glance to her skin as one of Rapunzel's tears touch the back of her hand, and she felt a warming sensation.

Gothel had seen light glowing from behind Rapunzel, but her daughter didn't notice because she was crying into the palms of her hands. That beautiful flower that her daughter had drawn countless times had appeared around Eugene's wound, she narrowed her eyes as she could see his wound beginning to heal.

_So she still has the healing powers through her tears… _Gothel thought as she quickly reached for her dagger which was only a few inches away from her. She placed it directly over Rapunzel's heart on her backside as Eugene came to.

He instantly looked their way to see Gothel's menacing look if he said anything. He knew she would possibly do it, but who knows. He didn't understand how he was alive because he cut her hair. He didn't even move or at least tried not to for her sake.

Gothel then felt herself getting younger as that same flower appeared and Rapunzel looked up because she heard a loud clang behind her. Her mother had dropped the dagger she was holding.

"What's—" Rapunzel backed away and stood up and tried to make a run for it. But the window's shutters were closed automatically.

"Hahaha! Yes! Thank you dear, I'm now back at full power!" Gothel yelled in excitement. Black snake like trendals from the dark mist around her had gone after her and Eugene, who rolled out of the way. Rapunzel was caught.

Her eyes widened at the sight of him standing up fully alive. "E-Eugene!" She cried. He ran over there to her, but was caught as well. They both struggled to get free as Gothel brought them in front of her.

She smirked as she looked at Eugene; both young adults had worried expressions as they didn't know what she would do with them.

"Gothel, let Eugene go please! You have me remember!" Rapunzel tried to reason with her as the snake like mist around him began to cut into his flesh.

She wasn't listening, she just enjoyed looking at Eugene's painful expressions.

"Mother!" Rapunzel was crying now, she was so scared that she would lose him—again. That caught Gothel's attention as she stopped torturing him and with a snap of her fingers, a huge black metal cage appeared by Rapunzel's wardrobe.

She threw Eugene inside as she locked it up nice and tight. He looked severely injured as he was covered in several spots of blood. You could tell his left arm was dislocated or broken by the way it dangled by his side. He was currently unconscious.

"Please, leave him alone, he has nothing to do with this! Let him go and I'll stay with you forever. Just as I promised earlier, you know I do not break my promises."

Gothel put a finger on her chin in thought and then a moment later, she came to a conclusion, "Hmm…that would be grand, but I prefer to keep you both locked up tight." She put Rapunzel down as she commanded her to get the place cleaned before she returned that night.

"Do what I say, and I won't have to be the bad guy dear." She said in a stern but serious tone. Rapunzel didn't know what to do, she couldn't try to fight back without worrying about Eugene's safety. She had no frying pan as her weapon, but what good would that do against an all power witch?

As her so called mother jumped from the high story window, a black cloud was placed over the tower, blocking all possible exits from outside. Rapunzel tried to open the window shutters but they wouldn't budge.

But then she had made a promise to her that they would be together forever. But she was only thinking about Eugene and his safety. She felt Pascal as he climbed onto her shoulder and rubbed his head against her neck to try and comfort her.

Eugene was too far to reach as she stuck her arms in the cage several times. He was too far in the back and she was just glad that he was still breathing. She couldn't tend to his wounds just yet.

She began to start cleaning up, as she thought about what fate had in store for both of them. She didn't even sing or hum. She was still reeling from what happened earlier. Afterward she layed down on her bed with a heavy sigh.

Her precious savoir still hasn't awoken yet she looked at him one last time before crying herself to sleep. They were now prisoners, but she would figure out a way for them to get out of this somehow.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This story will have two writers, me and BlueyedLightning. This chapter is written by BluEyedLightning. We will be taking turns. **

* * *

Chapter Two

It had been two days since "Mother" Gothel locked Rapunzel and Eugene back in the concealed tower, far away from society. Even if they screamed, no one would hear. Resistance was futile, however, and Rapunzel did not forget her promise; she _always _kept her promises.

It was 7:00 in the morning, time for the "usual morning lineup." Rapunzel was permitted to roam freely in the tower, but her right bare foot was always chained up to the wall, preventing any escape. It was clear that Gothel still didn't trust her.

As she was drearily sweeping the tiled floor, Mother Gothel appeared before her with a skeptical look pasted on her wrinkle-free face.

"Rapunzel, I'm going out to collect berries for the pie you will be making for tonight," she informed the brunette after eyeing her with scrutiny. "I expect this tower to be cleaned before I get back."

"Yes," Rapunzel whispered quietly while her back faced Mother Gothel.

"What was that? You know I hate the mumbling."

"Yes!" Rapunzel snapped, turning around. Her eyes widened in fright when the witch glared back at her. Rapunzel stood her ground, however, and firmly held her gaze. The girl was no longer as fearful of Gothel since she escaped from the tower. Her experiences with Eugene had given her strength and the will to stand up for herself. She knew she was still in a tight situation, but at least Eugene was still alive.

"Speak up, next time," Gothel demanded with pursed lips. She then grabbed a basket and slipped it on her right wrist. She took a second to look over at the corner, opposite of the window. There, Eugene was still encaged, looking sweaty with illness. His eyes were closed and his breathing was labored. Even though Gothel didn't want anything to do with him, she knew that he was keeping Rapunzel from trying to run away. If anything happened to the man, the deal would be broken.

"He's still injured," Rapunzel told her in a worried tone as she paused her sweeping.

Gothel ignored her and strode over to the black cage. She looked at her prisoner with disdain. Eyeing his wounds, she sighed deeply and said to Rapunzel, "He will live." She then smiled and added, "I will be back soon!"

"But –"

"Mother knows best," Gothel cut her off with a careless wave of her hand as she walked over to a hidden exit in the wall. Going down the tower via Rapunzel's hair was out of the question because Rapunzel's magic hair was gone, thanks to the muddling man. The girl was still unaware that her tears were now able to heal, a secret Gothel keep away from her until she needed to become younger again; she didn't want Rapunzel to try and heal Eugene. His pain was comfort to her, at least, but his presence was an annoyance.

Going down the narrow tunnel that led all the way to the bottom of the tower and into a small cave covered in bushes, Mother Gothel hummed to herself. Things were back to normal again, even though there was tension between Rapunzel and her, plus the thief. She would stay beautifully young forever, while the bond between her and Rapunzel would slowly grow back again; she convinced herself it would.

As soon as she stepped through the bushes and checked that the entrance was covered, she began walking towards her usual spot where she collected berries. On her way, she spotted the same, white majestic horse that belonged to the captain of the guards. The beast was actually staring at her as if it knew her misdeeds.

"Run off to your master," Gothel said dismissively, but the horse stayed where he was.

She decided to scare him off with a touch of black magic. With a snap of her fingers, the horse was abruptly shocked with dark magic. The woman grinned maliciously when the horse neighed angrily, but ran away.

She finally neared a stream, just fifteen minutes away from the tower. There were bushes with berries, both poisonous and safe. Having visited this area many times, Gothel knew which berries were edible, and which were not.

Picking red berries but ignoring the dark purple ones, the woman began to place them in the basket. Rapunzel would make a fine cherry pie for the two of them, and the injured man would eat stale bread. She and Rapunzel would engage in light chatter and talk about their day, and then afterwards she would listen to Rapunzel read a story to her.

No. Who was she kidding? Those days were long gone. It was that bothersome man that ruined it all.

"Curse him!" Gothel cried out angrily. The berries in the basket burst from the dark magic she had unintentionally unleashed. "Oh, bother," she grumbled, and grew irritated with herself. Why did she even care if things were now different before her and Rapunzel? The girl was just a tool for her to stay young, nothing more.

Suddenly, she heard voices. Mother Gothel crouched in a large bush and narrowed her gray eyes as two guards passed by.

"I can't believe the king and queen have been thrown into prison," one said as he took a leak in the stream.

_How dare he defile the stream in which I bathe in? _Mother Gothel thought furiously to herself. She restrained herself from rising to strike the man down, but withdrew her dagger from the basket. Then she registered what the guard had said. The king and queen – Rapunzel's real parents – have been imprisoned? This was interesting news to Gothel…interesting indeed.

"The Overlord seems powerful, and he has money," the other one said as he took out a red apple and ate it.

"But we took an oath to protect our king and queen!"

"Enough," the one eating the apple said He was the tallest of the two. "Too many guards have been incapacitated trying to stop him. I say, if we can't beat him, join him, right?"

"You're right," the other one, clearly the inferior one, agreed.

Gothel stood up, revealing her presence that startled the two guards.

"Oh, it's just an old woman," the taller one said after he unsheathed his sword. He sheathed it back and bowed curtly. "Forgive me, m'lady."

"Old woman?" Gothel seethed and clutched her dagger hidden behind her back. She put on a fake, welcoming smile and bowed in return. "Tell me, fine gentlemen, who is this Overlord you speak of?"

"If you pardon me, madam, but it is not for ears, especially not for one like yourself."

Gothel clenched her jaw but continued to smile. She gestured to the bushes to the right and asked in a sweet singsong tone, "Would you two care for some berries?"

The two guards' faces lightened up.

"I thank you, madam," the taller one said as he grabbed a dark purple berry and placed it in his mouth. The other one did the same.

"Oh, don't thank me," Gothel replied as a smirk slowly crept on her face.

Grabbing her basket from the grass and putting her black cloak on, she made her way towards the direction of the kingdom. She needed to investigate what had happened to the kingdom, for it could very well turn the tides in her favor.


	3. Chapter 3

**Written by sukura123  
**

**Chapter Three: Small Hopes**

Back at the Tower, Rapunzel was slowly painting another picture of the flower. She had known that she must've been the lost princess that the Kingdom was looking for. But she couldn't do anything about it in this state.

She checked on Eugene several times throughout the day. He had been unconscious for two days, and she prayed he would wake up today. She even tried to break the lock to the cage several times, but all of them failed.

Just as she finished painting, she heard the faint whisper of her name. Turning around from the wall, she saw Eugene looking at her. She dropped the paintbrush and color palette and ran over to him.

Her eyes were tearing up at the sight of seeing him. He tried his best to scoot closer to her. His arm seemed dislocated and she could tell it was painful for him to move it.

"We're not dead right?" He asked her as he eyed the place they were in. Rapunzel explained the situation to him.

"So we're her prisoners huh? Just great." Eugene said in a sarcastic tone. "Wait how am I alive and how did Gothel get her powers back?" he asked as he held Rapunzel's hands with his own.

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. We know it wasn't my hair. All I did was cry afterward. I thought.." She trailed off as she shook her head. "Anyway, how are your wounds?"

"I'll live. My arm is killing me though. We have to pop in back in place." Eugene replied as he stuck his arm through the cage. "I need you to hold my wrist and pull back hard and fast."

Rapunzel's face lit up with concern, "But that is going to hurt really, really bad right?" She asked as he nodded. But she knew it was the only way to fix his arm, or try to fix it anyway. So she did as told, and after a painful yelp from Eugene, he could move his arm a bit better.

Rapunzel went to the kitchen and dug through the cabinets to try and find him something to eat. The chain tied to her ankle only let her go so far. She found a few pieces of bread that were still fresh, and a small triangle of cheese. She also found a small cup and poured cold water into it from a metal picture.

"Thank you, but how about we share it?" He said as he split everything with her. He noticed the chain around her ankle and looked at in disgust. How dare Gothel keep her locked up like that?

"She will be back later, and I still haven't been able to crack open this lock. Any ideas?" She said as she ate the last bit of bread.

"Maybe it's a magical lock. If that's the case we are screwed." He replied. Rapunzel got up and began to pace back and forth thinking of solutions.

Soon night came as the moons light rays appeared on the floor through cracks in the window shutters. They talked about how to get out of this situation, and how they would survive if they were truly stuck here forever.

Maybe she could trick her mother somehow into letting them run errands for her something. That would never work, or maybe she would take one of them with her on her errands? She doubted it.

"Maybe her power will only last for a short time? She was always using my hair to rejuvenate herself from time to time." Rapunzel thought out loud.

"That's one way to look at it. Don't worry, we'll think of something." Eugene said as he cleaned his wounds and wrapped some of them in bandages that Rapunzel gave him earlier. She even gave him a pillow and blanket so would be somewhat comfortable at least.

She was lying in bed currently singing a soft lullaby to Eugene while ways to escape ran through their minds. A thought hit her as she sat up. She went looking on the floor for a certain weapon that her mother had stabbed Eugene with.

Maybe it would help them.

"What are you looking for Rapunzel?" Eugene asked as he watched her movements. She was looking by the stairs.

"That—found it!" She exclaimed as she rushed over there and began picking the lock. After several minutes of pure concentration she finally heard a click. The lock fell off the cage door as it swung open.

Both sat in silence for a moment wondering if something else would happen. Rapunzel put the dagger down as she rushed into Eugene's arms. After crawling out of the cage, they enjoyed each others embrace as they pulled apart.

Now that Eugene was out of the cage, what would they do if Gothel decided to pop in. "Good work blondie." He complimented as she blushed lightly at her nickname. "Let's get out of here through the window."

Rapunzel shook her head. "The shutters won't open. There is no way to escape because a dark cloud is covering the place. Maybe there is another way?"

Rapunzel looked on the floor as Eugene looked in the higher areas. Looking in the kitchen, he didn't notice that he was standing on a certain tile, that didn't match the rest of the kitchen floor. "I got nothing here. How about you?" He said.

"Sadly, nothing here either." She sighed as she went to sit back on her bed. Pascal cuddled up beside her and fell asleep. Eugene came toward her as he lay down on the other side. Both of them were frustrated, but they would keep looking for an exit. There just had to be another one.

Before Rapunzel feel asleep, she said, "I think it's best for you to get back inside the cage. Mother will certainly throw a million questions my way about how you got out. And she may hurt you again." A few tears streamed down her cheeks but Eugene wiped them away.

"I see what you are saying. It's better to play it safe. We'll just have to pretend until we can make our escape from this horrible place," Eugene replied. He would make sure they would both get out of here alive. Gothel was dangerous with that powerful magic up her sleeve.

As Eugene got settled as best he could in the cage, Rapunzel put the lock back on and snapped in shut. She hid the dagger in a place her Mother would never look. It was in her paint holder box; she never goes in there. Plus, Rapunzel could easily hide it underneath the different small cups of paint for safe keeping.

She hoped her mother wouldn't return until her, Eugene and Pascal were long gone.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: (BluEyedLightning) I apologize for the delay; I'll try not to make a habit out of it xD **

* * *

Chapter Four

It was nighttime in the kingdom of Corona. There were still a few of the floating bright lanterns hovering in the dark sky from the night of the lost princess's birthday, giving its residence some light.

As Gothel silently crept through the marketplace, she noticed that the kingdom's guards were replaced with large, burly men with black plated armor. At their sides they had battle axes and a crossbow.

_They've really upgraded since last I was here,_ Gothel thought to herself as tried her best to avoid being seen. She was curious about this new baron and what the fate of the king and queen would be.

"You, there!" a voice called out to her.

Gothel scrunched her shoulders as she froze, mid-step. She could rely on the dark magic to flee, but there were so many guards. She feared they would interrogate her, and eventually, would reveal where she lived and that she had been hiding Rapunzel this whole time.

A man in chain mail noisily ran over to her with battle axe in one hand, and a parchment in the other. He seemed out of breath, as if he had been searching for the cunning witch for days.

"I have an urgent message for you, from the Baron," the guard informed her after a brisk salute. He handed Gothel the white parchment with a red ribbon around it, in which she reluctantly took, and then walked away.

"What is this?" Gothel asked herself as she opened the piece of paper. Her eyes scanned the words that told her that the new king, calling himself Baron, wanted to meet with her to discuss certain matters. Gothel narrowed her eyes; she knew what he wanted to speak of, and she would want nothing to do with it.

Deciding that it was time to go since she had been lingering in the city for far too long, Gothel decided to head back. She did not trust Rapunzel to be alone, and knew the time she spent away from her had been too long.

Once inside the tower, Gothel knew something was amiss. She had rushed to Rapunzel's room first and saw that she was fast asleep. The tower was cleaned, just as expected, but something was still off…

Her eyes slowly scanning the tower and then stopping on the cage, Gothel frowned. The lock was still on, but it was loose, indicating that it had been tampered with.

"What have you done?" she demanded as she shook the cage, startling Eugene within. "Did you really think you could fool me with this?!"

Eugene looked disoriented at first, but his chocolate-colored eyes widened in surprise when he saw his captor's face, just inches away from the prison he was in.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the thief lied coolly.

"Do not test me," Gothel spat as she tightened the lock that had been clearly picked. Rapunzel would pay for her trickery as soon as she woke up the next morning.

Morning came. For most, people would be happily getting ready for the day. They would eat a fine breakfast, and then leave the house for the day.

For Rapunzel, it was entirely different. Today, though, was different. "Mother" Gothel was behaving differently, and it scared the girl. She kept glancing over at Eugene in hopes to get clue as to why she was acting this way, but the prisoner just shook his head.

"Good morning," Rapunzel whispered uneasily as she started to cut into a loaf of bread and cheese.

"Good morning, Dear," Gothel replied in a silky voice. "Why don't I help you with that? I don't want you accidently cutting yourself." Without waiting for a response, she grabbed the knife from Rapunzel's hand and started to cut down hard on the bread. Each slice created a loud scraping sound as the knife connected with the wooden table.

Rapunzel grimaced. Something was wrong, and she knew it. Gothel was smart and probably realized the two had Eugene broken out of his inhumane cage. What did the crazy woman have in store for the two of them?  
Knowing it was probably best to seem like she had no idea what was going on, Rapunzel thanked the woman and went to check up on Eugene.

"Is there something you need to tell me, Rapunzel?" Gothel asked in a knowing voice without looking up from the table.

"No," Rapunzel hastily answered.

Eugene gave her a why-did-you-say-that look.

"Enough with the lies," Gothel hissed, and stabbed the knife into the table in anger. "Now, go to your room."

Rapunzel spun her head towards Eugene, her eyes wide with panic. She would be forced to stay locked in her room for days with little food, but worst of all, away from Eugene. She couldn't bear to stay apart from him, and because of it, her eyes began to tear up. Stubbornly, she wiped them away with one sleeve.

"Don't cry," Eugene pleaded with her, and wanted desperately to comfort her.

Gothel rolled her eyes, but she let the two hold hands through the cages of the bar, but just for a brief moment.

"I will not repeat myself," she said through gritted teeth.

With a defeated sigh, Rapunzel headed towards her room.

As soon as the girl was gone, Gothel snatched the knife in her hand and went over to the cage, her eyes blazing with hatred.

Eugene gave her a fierce, determined look, and locked eyes on his captor. He folded his arms and the two, being stubborn, engaged in a staring contest that lasted for a minute.

Blinking rapidly, Gothel said maliciously, "If I catch you two trying to escape again, I will not hesitate to end your life. Am I understood?"

With a smug look, Eugene just shrugged carelessly. He was fearless, the stronger of the lovable duo. He had to be strong for him and Rapunzel, even in the mess they were in. He was determined to escape with Rapunzel and give her the life she deserved – not locked up.

After checking the lock three times, Gothel turned her heel and went to make a plate for Rapunzel to eat. As she put a slice of bread and cheese on the plate, her mind wandered back to the note she received earlier. With Rapunzel and Flynn Rider being hell-bent on trying to escape, maybe it was a good idea to have a visit with the Baron.


	5. Chapter 5: Discovery

**Written by sukura123. Sorry for the long wait, internet was a problem :/**

**Chapter 5: Discovery**

Rapunzel had been locked in her room for three days with little food and water as well no minimal contact with Eugene. But she didn't cry because tears wouldn't help her situation. Instead, she painted and tried to pry the chain from her ankle with no success.

On the day she was let free from her room to roam around again, her "mother" told her she was heading out. Rapunzel didn't bother to ask where because she wouldn't tell her anything. Gothel carried a serious look on her face as she glanced from Rapunzel back to Eugene.

Rapunzel knew it was wise not to go against her "Mother" again. She didn't want to be kept from Eugene again. She nodded to Gothel in understanding and in a cloud of black smoke Gothel was gone.

After doing her regular chores, Rapunzel spent a good portion of the day with Eugene. They talked, laughed and joked around trying to make light of their current situation. But on the inside, instead of comforting her verbally, she wished she could be in his arms.

After a while she asked, "Eugene, just how did you get here? I thought you were gone forever." A small frown crossed her face. It was a question that just crossed her mind. After all, the last time she saw him was when he was heading back towards Corona with the crown. Leaving her alone on the shore worrying.

"Oh, I haven't told you about that yet. I swear I didn't leave you." Eugene said as he reached his hands through the bar to grab Rapunzel's . The frown instantly disappeared from her face.

"I was set up by the Stabbington Brothers. When the boat docked at Corona, I was arrested and thrown in the slammer. In the morning, the guards came to escort me to my death sentence. While walking through the hallways, I noticed a tiny white horse and that's when everything took a turn for the better." Eugene paused and continued,

"Basically, the guys from the Snuggly Duckling rescued me and Maximus rushed me here-Max! I completely forgot about him! He must still be waiting on us after all this time!" Eugene said in a worried tone.

"Don't worry, I have an idea!" Rapunzel said in a cheery voice. She went towards the window, which was the normal entrance of the tower and pulled Pascal off her left shoulder and set him down.

"Pascal go and try to find Max. Hopefully he is around the tower somewhere and not hurt. Tell him to go get help. He'll know what to do." Rapunzel told him as he scurried through a small hole in between the window shutters.

She could tell that it was almost dark outside. But Pascal had great eyesight and could see pretty well in the dark. She hoped he would be alright and would return soon. As she walked into the kitchen, the long chain around her ankle made annoying scrapping sounds.

Rapunzel went through the pantry trying to figure out what to make for dinner. She settled on beef stew. Luckily Mother Gothel had stocked the cabinets with food before she left. While getting everything she needed, she took out the water pitcher as well.

After chopping up the meat, potatoes and carrots, she placed it all in the pot over the furnace. It would take a while to cook. So in the meantime, she made Eugene a light snack to tie him over.

A piece of bread and cheese with a cold cup of water should do for now. After she grabbed the water pitcher and turned to put it back on the table, she accidently tripped on a slightly raised part of the chain. The small amount of water left had spilled beside her, while the pitcher hit the floor with a loud _clang._

"Rapunzel!" Eugene cried out from inside the main room.

"I'm alright, just tripped is all." She let out a small laugh as she began to clean up the mess. It was then that she spotted it, a certain piece of tile on the kitchen floor that looked different from the rest. She eyed it with interest. Why had she only noticed it now? She has been living here all her life so far.

Quickly cleaning up the mess, she inspected the random colored tile. She knocked on it with her fist and found it was hollow. _Something could be under there._

When she raised the tile with her fingers, she found a golden brass handle and when she pulled with all her might, a large wooden door was found. As she continued to lift it up, she also found a set of stone steps.

It was dark down there, but she could feel a draft of air from below. "Eugene, I'm going to check out something. I'll tell you about it when I get back." She yelled. After lighting a small candle she descended the steps taking her trusty frying pan with her.

The stairs went into a spiral shape and she couldn't get as far as the last five steps. In front of her stood a large brick wall, she felt the draft more closely now. She knew this could be their ticket to escape; now she just had to figure out how.


	6. Chapter Six: Baron's Proposition

**A/N: (BluEyedLightning) Wow, it's been two months since my late update? I suck big time. I'm so sorry guys! I've been busy with the holidays, my own story, and college work. I promise I won't wait too long to work on my other updates! Also, from both of us (Sukura123), thanks for your reviews! Disclaimer: The characters of Tangled do not belong to us. They belong to Disney. The Baron character belongs to us. **

* * *

As Mother Gothel entered the large radiant castle that now belonged to Baron, she began to wonder if it had been a wise idea to leave Rapunzel alone with the thief once again. The only thing that she had as leverage to keep the girl in the secluded tower was a mere promise, and Gothel was perhaps putting too much trust in her words. Rapunzel promised that she would stay locked in the tower as long as the thief stayed alive, much to Gothel's dismay. Gothel never planned on the thief staying in their lives; she just wanted it to be her and Rapunzel, forever young. Somehow, Gothel needed to find a way to get the thief out of their lives without breaking the deal, which was the only reason why she had decided to visit the mysterious Baron in the first place.

Gothel had never set foot in the castle before, only once when she had kidnapped Rapunzel when she had been a baby. Setting foot on foreign ground gave the woman an unsettling feeling, and she subconsciously clutched her black cloak to wrap it closer around her frail shoulders. She was accompanied by two guards clad in black armor, only increasing the anxiety she felt as she walked towards the main chamber where the Baron took over.

"Boys," she cooed, though a little nervously, "There's no need for an escort. I'm entirely harmless, I assure you!"

"No talking, old woman," one of the guards barked as he motioned for another guard to open the chamber doors.

_Old woman?!_ Gothel thought incredulously to herself, and had to muster enough strength inside to restrain herself from backhanding the half-wit. She was almost hurt, remembering that it had been just two days since Rapunzel sang the song to make Gothel appear youthful again. Panic arose in the woman's chest; it seemed Rapunzel's magic was waning on her more quickly than usual. She needed to do something about it.

The king's chamber which was now the Baron's, had a black carpet between two rows of guards, and in the back was a golden and red throne. A middle-aged man who was also in black armor but also a red cape and a golden crown on his head sat with a look of smug superiority on his face.

"I'm glad you could meet me, Gothel," Baron greeted, flashing his pearly white teeth. He had brown eyes, just like his older brother who had been the captain of the guards.

Gothel didn't bother to bow; such an act would be degrading and utterly stupid for her. Instead, she planted on an even smile and replied, "So you know of me. How?"

"Clearly you aren't as covert as you think you are," Baron smoothly answered. "I have eyes everywhere, even on your precious tower where you keep the king and queen's daughter locked up."

This time, Gothel couldn't hide back the fear on her face. Her jaw dropped, just temporarily, and her heart sank.

"H-How do you know about my tower? My _concealed_ tower, if I may add."

Baron smirked, and Gothel wanted nothing else but to slap it off. "I wish I could tell you that my reason is complex and brilliant, but it's really because I had the thief, Flynn Rider, followed. Do you think my idiot brother was the only one after him? Whereas I was banished from the kingdom, Rider had managed to break into the castle and successfully leave without getting caught. I needed someone like that to get me into the castle, so I had the thief followed. What I saw went against my expectations: a girl who could grant youth by a mere song, plus she was the king and queen's 'lost princess.'"

Gothel's motherly instinct got the best of her, and she cried out, "You will not take Rapunzel!"

Baron sighed deeply as he leaned against his throne and then replied, "Well, I am hoping we will come to an agreement so that we both get what we want. You obviously still have the thief in your custody, and I can have him arrested with no one knowing you were behind it."

"And in return you want my dau – er, Rapunzel?" Gothel asked. No, she wouldn't allow it. Rapunzel was hers. She raised her on her own and now some bastard stranger was going to take her away? Not if she could help it.

Baron could sense Gothel's resistance, and tried again. He said, "I know there's a reason the thief is still alive, and clearly it's not because you are fond of him."

Gothel let out a snort.

"I can…remove him from both of your lives without the girl knowing that you were behind it, and thus she will still belong to you – no promises or deals broken."

"I won't allow you to barge into my home," Gothel spat, "And take my things."

"I can have both you and your 'daughter' live happily here. She'll still sing to you, but also…"

Gothel tilted her head to the side, awaiting Baron's proposition. She was already growing tired of being in the castle, and wanted desperately to return to Rapunzel. The Baron only knew half of the story: it was now Rapunzel's tears that had healing properties, not the sound of her singing voice. She didn't dare reveal this to the man, though.

"If you have something to say, then say it," Gothel said with a scowl. She was tired of people not completing their sentences or mumbling incoherently.

"I was just pausing for a dramatic effect," Baron retorted with a grin.

"Well?" the old woman asked impatiently as she tapped a foot. She wanted to sit down and share a loaf of bread with Rapunzel in their small, cozy tower.

"I wish to marry the girl who sings, and in return, Flynn Rider will be 'taken' care of," Baron finally answered.

"Her name is Rapunzel," Gothel said, seething. "And no, she stays with me. I will not have her marry someone who is twice her age; it's completely barbaric!"

"Then I will have your tower crashing to the ground and take her myself, with you completely out of her life for good," Baron threatened. He then stood up, creating tangible tension in the air, and added in a deep, warning tone, "Maybe the news hasn't sunk in for you yet, old woman, but I am now the king, and therefore whatever I say, happens. I get what I want while the world continues to spin. I can either be the only one who wins, or you can also share my prosperity. Like I said, either you bring _Rapunzel_ here and you both live in this castle with the thief dead, or I take her and you are left with nothing, not even your precious tower."

Mother Gothel's blood boiled as she shook with rage. Even though the proposition seemed brilliant, with the thief out of the way, she still didn't want Rapunzel to marry the older man, and also, she just didn't trust him.

"You will have three days to come up with an answer," Baron said dismissively, and with that, Gothel was silently whisked out of the throne room.

It was later that night that Gothel returned to the tower, and she couldn't help but feel relieved as she smelled familiar air, and she smiled. Her smile faded away when her gray eyes met the thief's light brown eyes, and once again she felt bitter. Although the irritating thief was still locked in his cage, she still stared suspiciously at him.

"Welcome home, Mother," Rapunzel greeted with a forced smile. She was standing next to Eugene's cage, oblivious to the effect that had on Gothel.

"Step away from him," Gothel snapped.

Rapunzel's green eyes were filled with panic, and they briefly darted to the side at Eugene, then back at her mother's. She curtly bowed her head in response and sidestepped, feeling slightly ashamed and embarrassed in front of Gothel. She was hoping the smell of beef stew and a slice of cheese would put her captor in a pleasant mood, but she knew Eugene's presence would always ruin it. She didn't blame Eugene, though. Inside, though she hid it, she was still very much angry yet also afraid at Gothel for holding her against her will in the tower. She was 18, for stars' sake! Would she ever be free?

"I made supper," Rapunzel said, avoiding eye contact with Eugene, who kept looking at her sympathetically.

As if nothing had happened, Gothel sighed happily and sat down on a wooden chair, waiting for her supper. "Thank you so much, dear. I had a long trip and am absolutely famished!"

"Where did you go?" Rapunzel asked, then immediately regretted it and she bit her lip as she served Gothel's stew in a bowl.

"Now, now, you know never to pry in my business," Gothel answered, and luckily she was too engrossed in her delicious supper to be angry with the question. As she took a sip, she closed her eyes and savored the wonderful taste. Rapunzel was always a magnificent cook, though no thanks to her.

Rapunzel was about to serve sneak a bowl of stew for Eugene, but was stopped short when a pair of gray eyes pierced the back of her skull; she could almost literally feel them.

"What are you doing, Rapunzel?" Gothel asked as she put down her spoon.

"I-I was going to give Eugene some because he hasn't eaten," Rapunzel answered nervously.

"It's okay, Rapunzel," Eugene told her gently, and gave her a reassuring smile. Rapunzel gave him a sad look and mouthed, "I'm sorry" to him.

"He will only eat bread, am I clear? Must I always repeat myself?" Gothel asked irritably.

Rapunzel cast her eyes down, looking crestfallen. So much for buttering Gothel up and asking if she and Eugene could spend a day out of the tower. She should've known such an idea was ludicrous. She then remembered the secret entrance, and was filled with hope. There was also the promise she made, but she and Eugene had concocted a plan which consisted in faking his death.

"Sit down, darling," Gothel beckoned to a seat opposite of hers. "You and I have much to discuss."

Feeling wary, Rapunzel stole a glance from Eugene for emotional support, then sat with Gothel in front of her. She served herself some stew in her own bowl and asked, "What did you want to talk about?"

Getting straight to the point, Gothel replied, "How would you feel about being betrothed?"

Having been taught proper supper manners prevented Rapunzel from spitting her food all over Gothel's face, but the shock caused her to nearly choke on a piece of beef. She didn't see Eugene's jaw drop from utter shock as well.

As Gothel eyed Rapunzel with slight disgust from her reaction, Rapunzel managed to cry out after swallowing her food, "What?!"

"Let's skip the drama," Gothel said as she rolled her eyes. She examined her face in her now empty bowl and said absentmindedly, "Though you are not nearly as beautiful as I am, you are still young and attractive."

"But I'm only 18 years old," Rapunzel cut in hysterically.

"And she also likes me," Eugene added from the background with a grin on his face.

As Rapunzel spun around and gave him a confused, "What are you doing" look, Gothel sped towards his cage, pried it open with her magic, and prepared to strike him. Eugene, however, was prepared and had actually anticipated Gothel's reaction. Though his wrists were bound, he gave a heavy kick at the woman, sending her sprawling backwards. Eugene then leapt out of his cage.

"Quick, find the key and help me out of this lock!" he ordered hastily with his eyes still on Gothel, who was squirming on her back like a turtle as she struggled to get to her feet. Old age was getting to her, granting the others more time.

"Eugene!" Rapunzel cried, with both panic and relief in her voice. "What did you do?"

"We're getting out of here," Eugene told her with a confident look as Gothel spewed out insults, still trying to get back to her feet.

"No, I made a promise," Rapunzel replied with pleading eyes. "Please, not this way."

"Rapunzel! Help your mumsy up," Gothel called out desperately. "I'll forget all of this." Her voice was thick with panic, knowing that her precious tool to make her young was close to fleeing.

Eugene ignored both of them and instead smashed his locked wrists against the wall, which surprisingly broke and fell to the ground. He then said as he grabbed Rapunzel's arm, "Then I'm kidnapping you."

"Rapunzel!" Gothel screamed as she saw, with bulging eyes, Eugene drag the girl to the kitchenwhere her secret staircase to the entrance of the tower was at.

"I can't, Eugene!" Rapunzel said as she weakly tried to push Eugene away from her. "I want this, more than anything, but I made a promise." Pascal, who was now on her shoulder, gave her a begging look, wanting Rapunzel to escape, but Rapunzel took no notice. "You're free, so you have a chance to escape unharmed. There's a torch near the brick wall, and all you have to do is pull it so the door will open."

"We're both getting out of here," Eugene told her, and continued to drag Rapunzel down the staircase, unheeding the girl's words. Little did they both know that, even with freedom within their grasp, they were just running into more trouble.

And the one person who could help them was now cursing their names.


	7. Chapter 7: Trap

**Written by me ^_^ **

**Thanks for all the awesome reviews, followers and favorites! **

**Chapter 7: Corona**

Eugene and a reluctant Rapunzel fled the tower with Gothel still cursing their names. They reached the entrance of the hidden area and ran through the rows of hanging vines passing a large rock.

Eugene hit something hard and fell backwards.

"Max! You're okay!" Rapunzel gave him a great big hug and then she was lifted onto his saddle by Eugene who quickly hopped on behind her.

"Let's go Max!" Max understood and took off at high speeds. He galloped for a while until they reached a large tree outside the city. It was now night time. The trio were resting on the grass at the base of the tree. Max was fast asleep and Eugene was tending to the small camp fire.

The silence was a bit awkward because usually Rapunzel always had something to say, but this time, she was silent as her mind ran a million miles about thoughts of Gothel. The small voice in her head told her she was finally free of the old bat. Rapunzel wanted to know how her "mother" would survive without her magic.

Her internal rambling was cut short as a gentle hand touched her shoulder. She looked up from the fire that was beginning to die out and into Eugene's concerned eyes.

"You're unusually quiet tonight." It was his attempt of a conversation starter.

Rapunzel fiddled with her fingers nervously and she debated telling Eugene what she really thought. She was sure he remembered her reluctance back at the tower. She didn't want to leave but at the same time, she wanted to be with Eugene.

"I…I broke my promise Eugene." Her sad green eyes gazed into his chocolate ones. "You should have gone without me…" Rapunzel trailed off no longer looking at her love instead choosing to look at the random tree stomp a few feet away.

Eugene used one hand to gently tilt her head up. His eyes held understanding for the poor girl. "I know you are sad about it but you do realize that all she was doing was using you for your magical hair. This is going to sound harsh but all she saw you as was a tool."

He could see how Rapunzel flinched as if the the word "tool" had physically cut her. Eugene had instantly regretted it. She removed his hand from her chin. "A tool?" she questioned, her lips slightly quivering. "Eugene…I won't lie even though she did take care of me and all she did was use my hair for her own selfish reasons."

Eugene spoke up, "That's right! And she did try to kill me again, remember?" He saw Rapunzel shiver so he put an arm around her and pulled her close.

"I couldn't bare seeing you die again." Her voice filled with fear.

"I know breaking promises is not the greatest thing for you but this time it had to be done. If not, we were never going to get out alive. Besides, "The ex-thief smiled. "Don't you want to meet your real parents?"

Rapunzel's bright jade eyes lit up as if it was the fourth of July. "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed with worry, "I had completely forgotten; I am such an uncaring person!" Eugene sighed and rolled his eyes as she began to pace back and forth. He grabbed a few extra medium sized sticks from the large pile he collected earlier and tossed them into the fire.

Five minutes into yet another ramble from her, "On no! I have nothing to wear—"Eugene finally stood up and embraced her from the front.

"Blondie." He stated in a stern voice. He leaned in so their foreheads were touching. Rapunzel was quiet and he grinned at the light blush at her cheeks. "You'll be fine."

He took her hand in his, woke up a sleeping Max and placed her on the saddle. "Let's not keep them waiting."

Before she knew it, they were already at front gates introducing themselves and waiting on a large balcony. The city of Corona was indeed a beautiful sight to see at nighttime. The many small stores and homes all had a candle in the windows that illuminated parts of the streets. She could barely see the mural of her as a baby being held by her mom as it seemed very far away.

Rapunzel's stomach held butterflies as she played with the hem of her dress. As she looked around at the colorful people, she noticed that the guards' armor seemed…darker, and whenever she passed them, they would whisper something to one another and point. Eugene was oblivious, and he lightly chuckled as the doors immediately busted open.

They expected to see the King and Queen, instead a tall broad man stepped out in all black. Eugene and Rapunzel tensed up, and Rapunzel took a step back.

Eugene stood protectively in front of her as he eyed the guy with suspicion. It was something about him that screamed evil. It was as if the guy was filled to the brim with the black stuff.

"Ah, my dearest Rapunzel you have finally returned home." The sinister man bowed deeply to show his respect. He added, "The thief, Flynn Rider has brought you home? What a way to try and clear your name." He spat.

"W-where are my parents." Rapunzel managed to get out ignoring his remark about her knight in shining armor. Eugene played it cool, but his shoulders were tense as several armed guards swarmed behind them.

"They are inside waiting to see their precious daughter. Now come." He barked the last two words at the two and they slowly followed about four feet behind him. Rapunzel gripped Eugene's hand tightly. He didn't mind; hell he was creeped out too and worried for her safety.

Maybe this is someone like a bodyguard they hired; he just has clothes that certainly make him stand out.

"Well you know our names, how about introducing yourself?" Eugene asked in a calm voice.

"I am known as the Baron." He responded dismally. Soon they entered the throne room. The first thing Rapunzel saw were her parents but when she ran to hug them, they turned out to be merely magical images.

"What the—"Rapunzel started flabbergasted.

"Rapunzel!" A feminine voiced called out to her. She turned to see her mother and father locked behind bars. "Sweetie leave before—"

Her mom was thrown back by a powerful blast of magic from none other than the Baron himself.

"Mother!" Rapunzel cried as she ran to the cage but was caught by the waist by the Baron's arm. Eugene quickly joined in as he attempted an attack but was thrown back harshly by a magical black wave of energy. He hit the wall head first and was out cold.

Rapunzel could see blood trickling down his forehead.


	8. Chapter Eight: Frail and Old

**A/N: (BluEyedLightning) Sorry for taking forever, once again. We are making an effort to upload quicker, especially with all these followers and reviews. Hope you like this chapter! It's short, so I apologize. **

* * *

Mother Gothel felt frail and old as she finally, after what seemed to have been thousands of attempts, stood up. Her bony arms shook as she used the edge of a table for support; she felt weak as if she hadn't eaten anything decent in days. She knew she had aged significantly, and dared not look in the shattered mirror. Just by peering at her wrinkly hands, she could sense that time was ticking for her.

"It's not fair," she croaked with a hint of a whine in her voice. "Rapunzel was mine, and she has been taken from me from that filthy rat!" If she had the strength in her, she would've thrown various objects in the kitchen against the wall in vented rage. Instead, she sobbed pitifully like an elderly woman being whisked away into a retirement home.

Wiping away her tears of anger and hopelessness, she pulled out an ugly gray cane with a brown curved handle from a small closet in the kitchen. She had hoped she'd never have to use it, yet that time had come. Like a stubborn old woman, she hobbled her way down the secret entrance while mumbling bitterly under her breath. Her incessant scowls were pointed at the thief who stole her fountain of youth away from her. The thought of stabbing the man repeatedly had soothed her mind, and was the only motivation – besides taking back Rapunzel – to carry on.

"Where is that damn horse?" she asked aloud after she eventually reached outside the tower. During Rapunzel and the nosey thief's stay, she knew the captain of the guard's horse had stuck around for whatever ridiculous reason. It had seemed loyal to the two, which Gothel found preposterous.

"Oh brave stallion," she sang, though her voice came out as a loud croak, much to her dismay, "where are you?" _The stupid beast liked apples, didn't he?_ "I have a bushel of apples waiting for you!" she added, trying her best to sound sincere and sweet, as Rapunzel used to teach her when she was younger. Something swept over her – an emotion she would constantly try to repress: guilt. Just thinking of the blonde-haired youth – now brunette – brought out the worst in Gothel. She'd feel sympathy, an emotion she didn't have the time to feel. It's not like she did anything wrong to the girl, right?

"Oh, curse it!" the old woman cried out, and leaned against her cane for support as she limped away from the tower. Within two steps, she pulled the dark hood over her gray, dull hair which had been curly and black, and then continued on. The journey to Rapunzel's birth kingdom was going to be long and arduous – she just hoped she could even make it to the bridge.

* * *

It took two days for Gothel to reach the bridge. If it weren't for her hunger pains and her growing fatigue, she would have danced with joy like a child. During her journey, she had met a few guardsmen, all clad in black armor, and spoke with them. She was dumbstruck when she was told the king and queen's daughter had been returned, though the Baron a different intentions than to take her to her real parents.

_What is that fat idiot scheming?_ Gothel pondered as she slowly made her way across the long bridge to the kingdom. She received several stares from commoners but she ignored them; she was hungry, her mouth practically salivating and her body growing weaker by the second. Once or twice, she felt like she was going to collapse, but she prayed to the goddess of nature to lend her strength, and her pray was seemingly answered.

She was determined. She would kill the thief, engage in an argument with the Baron over Rapunzel, and then return home with the girl. Those were her missions, but first…she needed to eat.

Reaching the market place, Gothel literally flung herself to the nearest market stand that was selling loaves of bread and fish. The seller, who was a short, fat man with curly brown hair and a mustache, gave her a weird look as Gothel fished out a small satchel of gold coins.

"Don't give me that look, fool," Gothel hissed after she paid the curious man with a gold coin and snatched three loaves of bread and one large tuna. She packed it in a brown rucksack and slung it over her frail shoulder, nearly making her fall backwards. With one hand on her cane and another carrying the heavy rucksack, she weakly walked over to the side, and then began eating away at her sad meal. She didn't care what others thought of her; soon, she'd be young and beautiful again, she just needed to gain her strength that was being drained away from her at a steady pace.

"Look at that old, ugly lady!" a boy said as he pointed at her. Despite his rude, ignorant attitude, the child was dressed in brown rags and his face was covered in grime. His mother, who paid no attention to her disrespectful son, wore a red, slightly torn dress.

"What did you say to me, boy?" Gothel demanded, and instinctively clutched on her cane. Her bones creaked as she propped herself up to a proud, standing position. She prepared to strike the boy with her cane, and it took every inch of her willpower to restrain herself from doing so, which would cause a scene.

Or maybe a scene would be the exact thing she needed?

_I'll be thrown in jail, but in my fragile state, I'm sure they would release me soon. Then, I will find Rapunzel, destroy the bandit, and be off – after I make Rapunzel cry for me. Of course, the death of her supposed lover will suffice, and then, I will be radiant again._

"Mama, that lady is coming over to me!" the boy cried, his brown eyes now wide with fright. Unfortunately, his mother was too distracted with hungrily eyeing the market stand with different fruits, that she didn't hear him.

With a swift smack, the boy was on his hands and knees. Within seconds, he was sobbing, thus attracting the attention of everyone, including the bored-looking guards, in the marketplace and towards Gothel, who stood over the boy with a smirk on her wrinkly face.

"My boy!" the inattentive mother shrieked as she wrapped her skinny, pale arms around her boy in a protective gesture. With narrowed eyes, she screamed, "Guards!"

"Your boy deserved it," Gothel said while grinning as she was instantly caught and arrested.

"I hope you hang for this!" the mother retorted as she watched the old woman get escorted away.

* * *

The guards in black led her to the large, white castle with turquoise towers. Gothel wished she had been thrown in a caravan instead of having to walk, and even verbalized her complaint, which was quickly disregarded. Due to her fragility, the walk to the castle felt as long as her journey to the kingdom, which took two days. When they finally reached the entrance, she was immediately led to the right, where she assumed was the prison entrance.

Once pushed into a small cage, a guard told her, "You will be hanged tomorrow night for assaulting a minor, m'lady. Sweet dreams." He cackled, along with his comrades, and then marched away, his plated armor scraping and clanking against the hard concrete floor.

"Hanged?" Gothel cried out, flabbergasted. She hadn't expected this outcome. She had merely hit the boy with the edge of her cane, not molested him! _A lot of things have changed since the Baron had taken over_, she thought grimly as she clutched on the bars. _I'll think of something._

But for now, she was trapped…as trapped as Rapunzel and Eugene were.


	9. Chapter Nine: Dinner with the Baron

**Sukura123: Sorry for the slow update, I finally have time off from school for a while. Enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter Nine: Proposition**

Rapunzel was left alone in her room. Guards stood at her front door in the hallway and outside on the private balcony. Why was this happening?! She ate only when they brought her food, which would magically appear in her room specifically from the Baron himself. For the past two days she basically starved her self, but then she remembered that she needed her strength if she was going to attempt to save her family and Eugene.

She had cried for hours on end, praying that everything would be alright. Her eyes used to be so red and swollen but she knew crying wouldn't help the situation. She thought it was all a dream; she pinched her self three times on the shoulder but when the Baron came into her room without the slightest notion of simply knocking, she knew everything was real.

Rapunzel jumped and glared. "What do you want?!" she snapped at him as she sat up on her bed. Luckily, she had was already dressed in a long sleeve top and pants for her night clothes.

"Is that any way to talk to your King?" the Baron replied, smoothly keeping his temper in check. "I see you finally finished your food this time. No good comes from starving yourself." He snapped his fingers and the empty bowl and an apple core disappeared along with the empty glass of juice.

_You aren't my King,_ Rapunzel said to herself. She didn't even bother to look at him. "Why are you doing this?" She had asked this question two days ago and hadn't received an answer unless you counted his crazy laughter.

Instead of straightforwardly answering her question, he replied, "Come join me for dinner tonight and I may tell you."

"No," Rapunzel stated. "What do you want with my family and Eugene?"

"Silly girl," he cackled, "I have no need for them, only you." His eyes were dark and held greedy desire as he looked her over once more. She was starting to feel very uncomfortable and she scooted farther away from him towards the edge of the bed.

Rapunzel's eye's widened. "W-why?" she stammered, beginning to become frightened. _Its not like I can use my healing powers anymore. _She wondered how she brought Eugene back and how Gothel suddenly had her youth returned to her although she had lost it again. She briefly wondered where the old woman was now.

Rapunzel was snapped out her thoughts when a hand firmly tilted her chin up. She met the eyes of her captor with fear. "You can make me young again Princess." One of his fingers stroked her cheek and she snapped her head away from him in disgust.

"No I can't; all my golden hair is gone!" she yelled, frustrated and sad at the same time. She didn't know how she could help Eugene and her parents. She wished she had Pascal to talk to.

"There is always more than one way to conjure up power..." The Baron smiled maliciously, making Rapunzel cringe. "Now I expect you down in an hour for dinner."

Rapunzel shook her head."I'm not hungry and no thank-"

The Baron glared at her, making her feel like she wanted to sink into a puddle. "You need to eat more!" he snapped. She was too stubborn to talk to him like this. "Now then, if I have to force you to come, I will. Do you understand?" He was now mere inches away from her face as he towered above her from the side of the bed.

Rapunzel gulped nervously and nodded.

* * *

The Baron was right on time for their eight p.m. dinner for two, to Rapunzel's dismay. An array of top quality foods were spread out from rolls, salads to spaghetti. Rapunzel was already there (thanks to the escort of the guards), nervously fidgeting with her purple dress as she stared at the table and refused to acknowledge him when he entered. Her mind was elsewhere.

He frowned; he certainly didn't like being ignored. Clearing his throat, he said, "Glad you could make it." He didn't bother bowing but he did scoot his chair a little closer to hers. He noticed that she had started to eat without him making his eye twitch.

"If you only need me, why can't you let my family and Eugene go?" she timidly asked as she looked him straight in the eyes, which silently shocked him. She was nervous but not too scared.

"Simply because...I've given them all the death penalty," he replied darkly, his eyes showing every bit of excitement. Tears streamed down Rapunzel's cheeks.

"N-no! You c-can't!" she bawled, believing the worst and already this dinner was going to waste. Suddenly, Rapunzel heard the man cruelly laughing as he threw a spoonful of salad into his mouth. Her moist green eyes quickly looked up at him, completely filled with confusion and anger. Then, she understood that he had fooled her and she was dumb enough to fall for it.

"Ah, I see you finally caught on dear," the Baron mocked her, pushing his empty plate of food away. "I also have something else to say but first, I have something to show you." He motioned Rapunzel to sit up and follow him, which she did wondering about what his surprise could entail. Soon, the two entered the dungeon area and went down a long corridor finally stopping after making a right turn.  
In the cell in front of them were Eugene, and her parents. The cell was just big enough to hold them in the confined space.

"Eugene! Mom! Dad!" Rapunzel exclaimed in shock. She had no idea when or if she would see them again, especially since she just found them after all this time. Her arms were able to fit through the bars as she tried hugging her parents and then Eugene. "I'm so glad you're OK." She was relieved.

"It's good to see you're doing alright too," Rapunzel's father smiled. He had a brave face, as a real king should always bear, but there was longing in his eyes; he wanted to catch up with his long-lost daughter. Their reunion had been short-lived and under unfortunate circumstances.

"Why is he here?" Eugene asked in a bitter tone glaring at the Baron who stood idly by her. He eyed Rapunzel carefully' he could tell her face was a bit slimmer than usual. Has this monster been starving her? Eugene noted her slightly red eyes figuring out that she had just cried. "What are you-?"

"Can you let them go?" Rapunzel cut him off, turning to face the Baron. "Please." She clasped her hands together.

The Baron stroked his chin. "Hmm...That is a request that I can grant on one condition."

Rapunzel was afraid to ask him what the condition was but she mustered up the courage and replied, "What is it?"

The Baron took her hand in his own gently, pulled her toward him and said loud enough for the thief and whole family to hear, "Marry me."


End file.
